Designblog

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

Group D of the Basic Year worked on the GRA DRESS-INDEX* project during the months of February and March 2013. Each student took ‘dress’ at the GRA as a starting point for new clothing designs. Each individual research resulted in one new outfit. These outfits were presented in the form of a fashion show at the staircase of the old GRA building (between 2nd and 3rd floor) on March 21st. It was an energetic – exciting – show, here a video synopsis of the show:

>> As one student said: People dress quite boring at the Rietveld, this is way more fun…. Why don’t we dress up like the GRA DRESS-INDEX outfits every day?

*GRA = Gerrit Rietveld Academy, Amsterdam
DRESS = Clothing in a broad sense; the way people wear, move around and behave in clothing
INDEX = List arranged usually in alphabetical order of
some specified data (as subject, or keyword)<

17 Rietveld's Foundation Year students visited the "Stedelijk Collection Higlights /Design" in the newly opened Stedelijk Museum. Marveling at some masterpieces of Interbellum design or surprised –a little further– by the Scandinavian design some of us know so well from our grandparents homes, we arrived at the last part of this "Depot Salon" wondering what a 2012 selection of Design could be.
Researching contemporary design we composed the "2012 Supplementary" which we present in this post. From the exhibit "Stedelijk Collection Higlights /Design" we all selected a personal best and made it the focus of the researches published as part of the project "Design-in-the-Stedelijk"

Letman. Behind this nickname hides a former student of the Rietveld Academy, Job Wouters.  He represents well a very illustrative part of graphic design and type design. This young artist is currently becoming quite famous, with some impressive institutions as clients like Monoprix, Heineken, Tommy Hilfiger, the New York Times Magazine, Playboy, or more recently a collaboration with dutch artist Dries Van Noten for a fashion show. In addition he has just published a book in collaboration with Gijs Frieling, and received the Dutch Design Award for his series of posters called Undercover.

Wouters first started to practice his drawing passion with friends and his brother, sharing their discoveries together. He still often collaborates with his brother Roel, or his childhood friend Yvo Sprey. He was quite intrigued by graffiti, practicing a lot and was particularly interested in street art lettering. This was his first step into the world of typography. In an interview, he said: when I was a youngster I was especially interested in graffiti-writers, who could write their names flawlessly in different styles. The communicative potential of type style was already of great interest to him. It is ironic to start looking at different styles that could communicate your personality through graffiti and finally do the same for corporate firms or advertisements. Later Job entered the KABK school of the Hague in the typography department and then carried his studies further at the Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, where he graduated in 2004. His great passion for graffiti and handwriting was already very present during his studies. His graduation work was for example made out of 500 posters displaying each name of his classmates, they were handwritten thanks to a huge panel of graffiti styles. Job is definitely interested in underground handmade style of graphic design always keeping aesthetic problems, finalization and communication effects in mind. It is impressive to see a designer like Job who found his way so early, and then sticking to this fundamental base, staying true and evolving all the way.

(more…)

We didn’t ask the school, we sent Linda (Linda Van Deursen, head of graphic design department, red.) a mail to say what we needed, but yeah after that I don’t think we had any contact with the school again.” Niels smiles.

I’m sitting in the studio of two of the leading fashion photographers in the world, that of Auschka Blommers and Niels Schumm, sipping a coffee that Anuschka made for me.

“Well, it was our idea to use Rietveld students”, Niels explains when I ask them who decided to make the reportage, “It was the Art Director who wanted a street casting and COS was very sceptical to it at first. But it’s always a bit tricky to go out on the streets to find models; they are always staying only for a few days in the country or can’t make it for some other reason. So it was easier for us to pick students from Rietveld. Besides it felt more like a real group, closer to us somehow. We all knew about each other, so that makes it easier to work together.”

What we are talking about is the latest collaboration Anuschka and Niels had with COS, a smaller brand originally an offspring from H&M, with their new lookbook for 2012.

So they started with a casting, asking and selecting fifteen people from the school, of which ten pictures were chosen to be viewed by COS, who then picked out seven of them to be in the magazine.

“But yeah, they see something else than we do” Anuschka explains, “where we see portraits, they see too much blonds. Or too pail skin. Or not enough guys, and so forth.”

I find it interesting that Anuschka and Niels, being former students and employees at the Rietveld, are doing a lookbook for a commercial fashion brand where they make use of Rietveld students without consulting the academy. In this way, Rietveld is portrayed almost as a product, rather than an art school.

But let’s go back a bit. It all started 1996, the year Anuschka Blommers had her end exam show at the Rietveld Academy (Niels graduated a year before). There she met Job van Bennekom, he saw her work and was immediately impressed and wanted her and Niels to come and make a photo series for a new magazine he was working on.

“YOUR work? He saw your work? Here we go again!” Says Niels laughing.

“Ok, our work then”, Anuschka replies smiling. She heard that joke before.

“We’re like a married couple, fighting over little things”, he explains, “not knowing who did what or said what anymore.”

Anuschka and Niels were working more and more together until one day they couldn’t tell who made which pictures anymore.

“It’s ridiculous really, we got to that point were I would help Anuschka set up the light in the studio, and she would hold the camera and take a shot. So which name should it be under the picture? Foto: Anuschka Blommers, Light: Niels Schumm? That didn’t work.”

“So we started to work together as a duo and eventually you forget who did what. You start to believe that you did a lot more than you actually did!” Anuschka fills in.

They are very used to each other, one picks up were the other one is finishing a sentence and they easily slipp into jokes and laughter.

“So anyway, it was Jop who one year later introduced us to Viktor & Rolf for an exhibition some 15 years ago”, Anuschka says.

And that’s where it all started for Anuschka and Niels, they took their first step into the fashion industry and haven’t stepped out of there since then.

“I mean, we were basically doing what we did at the Rietveld, taking pictures of our family and friends, but the only difference now is that they wear big brands like Comme Des Garcons.”

“Then why did you want to do fashion photography?”

“Well we didn’t!” they both respond.

“We didn’t know anything about fashion or clothes or brands. We really had no clue! We just kept doing our thing, but we did it with the models wearing their fashion couture instead.” Niels says.

“We have some influence while taking the picture and printing it in a magazine, but what I find fascinating is that media then picks it up and it can go anywhere, it gets its own life. We don’t know what’s going to happen”, Anuschka explains.

“For instance last year at Queen’s Day, I actually met a woman who sold me one of my first pictures back to me, without knowing! She kept it for 15 years! That is amazing”, Niels says.

But Anuschka and Niels don’t just do portraits and fashion, they have also done work with still life photography, something that Niels was doing a lot in his Rietveld days, whereas Anuschka mostly did portraits back then. When asked what they prefer to do now they tell me that it’s the opposite: when they work separately on private projects Anuschka is the one trying out still life, whereas Niels is doing more portraits.

In their collaborate work they are trying to step away from Photoshop by taking surreal photos of objects floating, or tricking the eye, by only using lights and angles. For instants The Cube was one of the first photos that Niels wanted to make. He got a camera at the age of ten, and it fascinated him then how the perspective changes when you look through the viewfinder, so when you take the picture it never is quite the same as you saw it in reality. This notion he carried with him, he wanted to challenge this illusion by taking a picture with a professional camera, arranging this impossible cube.

“There was actually a young couple at our last exhibition at Foam, where the girl asked the boy; How do they do that?, and the boy answers; Photoshop, of course! We both were like Noooooo!”  Anuschka laughs.

It is fascinating to see how they try to make a real thing look like something that’s not real, like this impossible cube that looks like a cube from one angle and from another angle it’s just pieces of wood. So it’s very much about that, about this non-Photoshop. With little gestures they want to turn around the meaning of the image.

“You should always go back to yourself, and stay true to what you do”, Anuschka says in the end of the interview, smiling vaguely as if she’s possessing a secret that she knows already, and that we all have to discover for ourselves.

Radio Rietveld resident DJ Zachary Airhorn had a little chat with fashion designer Franciscus Van Der Meer about mislabeling, telling stories with garments, fashion jargon and living in London.

fashion -garments- are the most intimate and superficial layer that separates our minds and bodies from all around us. they cover our inner space. so what happens around us? what goes on in the outer space? wars, attacks on politicians, poverty, enough clean drinking water, hiv, riots in suburbia etc. the one word that connects all this is intolerance: angst & anxiety for the unknown and thus the threatening. so how do we deal with each other?
what do we show and what do we conceal? to what extend do you choose for yourself instead of those around you? what’s the relation between our own individuality and selflessness? what the confrontation like, when our inner space meets the outer space?

Franciscus van der Meer

The interview starts with Franciscus calling via Skype during a wonderful song by the Beach Boys, Heroes and Villains. We begin talking about his show at FOAM in Amsterdam, which took place in early 2012. Quickly the interview moves on to the issue of talkin fashion without visual aid, and thus the relation between his collections and this above text on his website from his collection …and I’ll show you mine :

We then speak about his work in London, his time with a label, and his work on his captual collection (a series of five outfits). Franciscus speaks in detail of his process, mentioning how the first outfits are generally more “confined”, while the later ones are calmer. He goes from “a place of aggravation to a place of peace.” The discussion then goes into the importance of atmosphere during a presentation, his annoyance with clichés relating to fashion, and his collaboration with friends documenting his work.

JOFF is the alter ego / the ‘brand’ of Joffrey Moolhuizen, created for his graduation collection in 2001 when he graduated from the Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam. In 2002 JOFF also graduated from the fashion institute in Arhnem. But instead of working in the conventional fashion designer way, making new collections every season, he wanted to establish his work through the art circuit. The designer who grew up in an extremely religious Jehovah’s Witness family, left for art school, where he “found himself” being forced to break with his family. His work originally began as a direct response to the restrictive culture he was raised in, with pieces hiding as much skin as possible (dramatically high collars and uncomfortable cuts are part of the appeal). His work can be seen as androgynous. The designer works on the fine line between femininity and masculinity. As he grew up as a designer, he became more self centered and focused his clothing designs on himself maybe even to the extreme. JOFF’s famous collection ofoffjoff is on the edge of narcissism. Every design is made precisely to his own measurements. So also the models should be approximately his size and build. In theory the work is meant for everybody (though you should be his size) and all the designs are totally unisex, but only avaible in one size, JOFFSIZE.
JOFF is a fashion designer who is multidisciplinary and tries to work in more than one approach to fashion by putting it in the art scene as performance, making books. He tries to combine more mediums to approach fashion, which I think is because of his Rietveld experience. About the Ofoffjoff collection JOFF made a book together with Julia Born (also studied at the Rietveld academie) who is a graphic designer. The book is called Ofoffjoff- one to one. Quoting mrs. Mo Veld who is a fashioncritic and fashion theory teacher at the Rietveld academie  “The  book is more than just the work of JOFF on paper, the classic medium to let fashion transcend beyond the original object of desire, like for instance a lookbook as it is called in fashion. OFOFFJOFF- one to one is a fashion object in itself giving the audience an alternative to discover in detail as well as relate to JOFF”S design, his style, his image, his size, one to one. JOFF and you. Much like early pop magazines featured life size “starschnitt” images of teenage icon. In this publication the designer again becomes the measure of all.”
The book earned two best designed books listings in 2007, by the best designed books foundation presented at the Stedelijk museum Amsterdam, as well as by the most beautiful Swiss books 2007

JOFF is also the artistic director/ curator of the Arhnem fashion biennale. Last year he tried to discuss the relationship between fashion and contemporary art in this city based exhibition. He didn’t want to make it in to a commercial fashion show because there are already to many of those. He sees fashion as the art that’s closest to the body, but tries to get more out of the biennale than only showing nice looking skirts, pants etc. he wants you to get the feeling of what fashion is in his eyes. His concept was a search to the identity and the phenomenon of fashion and also a declaration of love to fashion. He opened the biennale with a love letter to Amber which was also the title of the biennale (AMB first three characters of Amber stand for Arhnem Mode Biennale) which said:  “I’m addicted to your deception and temptation and will never be able to live without this on and off relation.”
The goal of JOFF is to show fashion in all it’s manifestations, it goes beyond clothing. He also wants to show that your hairstyle and the car you choose is part of fashion, fashion is everywhere in daily life. Also photographs, objects, texts and what not will be shown with the goal to show the social-cultural function of clothing. But also outside of the exhibition space there was a lot to see not just the beautiful fashion stores but also the best bakery and the best views in town. This is how he wants to show that fashion is everywhere around us.

I think he has a really rich Rietveld background that is visible in his work and the way he directs the AMB. Already by not trying to fit in in the fashion world but trying to put his work in the art circuit feels really Rietveld to me. Also that he tries to combine elements out of other working fields, not just making dresses but his fashion serves a different higher goal. He uses his designs to do performances, installations and publications and by doing this he goes a step further than most fashion designers
Also his work is maybe more conceptual than most fashion designers with his Ofoffjoff project and also using his religious  conservative background and not only to make beautiful looking clothes but clothes with a story

This conclusion is based on available facts. I tried to e-mail Mr JOFF but never got an answer.

http://www.moveld.com/?page_id=132

By wearing masks, I attempted to free myself from my ego and access a collective unconsciousness. It is a reaction to the Western urban human being, wallowing in a nostalgic concept of nature, convinced of being able to reach a certain pure natural state within the safe context of taking a course in “primal dancing” or “collaborating with dead ancestors.  quote by Emmeline de Mooij [x]

(more…)

&Foam
Foam lies in the city center of Amsterdam, in the museum on the Keizersgracht. That is where they program a wide range of expositions. From world famous photographers to young and -as of yet- unknown talent. Grand long-term expositions are followed by rapid successions of  smaller expositions.
&Foam are special editions seeking new collaborations with exceptional artist, with intersecting  the fields of photography and other forms of art.
The current &Foam exposition at display in the Vijzelstraat in Amsterdam is about Philippe Vogelenzang

‘Six feet Under’
While visiting the ‘Fashion &Foam’ exposition one particular black and white photograph immediately caught the eye. A photograph depicting the bottom halves of seven soles. Shoe soles branded with the names of famous brands like Moshino, Prada, Hugo Boss, Lanvin, Emporio Armani en Vero Cuoio; designer shoes one and all.
After my tour of the rest of the exposition this piece again caught my eye, this time from a distance. The picture -while still recognizable as the same work- looks completely different from afar compared to what you see close up. These were not shoes, but gravestones!
The artist is playing tricks on his audience. He fools you into seeing the wrong thing, at least that is what it seems at first. The picture leaves a completely different impression from a distance and at second glance. It also made me curious as to the message of the piece. Then again the title is descriptive enough ; ‘Six feet Under’

‘Six Feet Under’

The young photographer (1982) lives in Amsterdam. He mostly works in fashion photography doing shoots for national and international fashion magazines. Digging deeper it soon became clear that he is a very active artist. The internet seems to be full of pictures by Philippe Vogelenzang. Many of the websites containing his pictures are about fashion photography. But not just any fashion photography. There always seems to be a story behind the pictures. A little something extra.

Interview with Philippe Vogelenzang

Does the academy still influence your work?
“No, the academy does not influence my work.
Before going to the academy I studied ‘Design en Styling’ after which I studied Art History for two years at the UVA (university of amsterdam) .”
After studying photography for a year at the ‘Koninklijke Academy for Fine Art’ in the Hague I decided to quit my studies and start to develop my own photographic aesthetics and intensity. The first year at the academy in the Hague did of course provide me with a solid base.”

How did you like the transition van studying at the academy to working in the field?
”I liked it a lot, I made many friends. And also made contact with a lot of photographers, they taught me a lot.”

Where do you get your inspiration?
“Inspiration comes from myself, the surroundings; everywhere basically.
I always work out my feelings and I make what I like and feel I want to make.
How it all eventually develops, as it is growing. Focused work is completely different of course.”

Do you like working with a theme?
“Yes, I like working with themes. I am especially drawn to start working on projects that tell a story and address important social issues.”

What is the relationship between your work at Fashion &Foam and you other work?
“In my photography i mainly focus on portraiture, fashion photography and art. Starting often with nostalgic of classical pieces. Aesthetics also play a big part in my works, that is where the fashion comes in. Fashion &Foam is a reflection of whom I am and what I strive for’’

In Fashion And Foam your work seems like conceptual photography, what do you think of this?
“My work is now with foam editions and is picked up that way and it seems that way more and more recognition for my work to occur, it is now as well as in foam in a more artistic angle. This is not something you can control it, but it is an honor if you work in this way is put down. “

What camera do you use?
” I was just sponsored a new camera, a Leica S System. Before that one I used a Canon 1Ds mark II”
One more interesting project in cooperation with Majid Karrouch is Project MODE MADE MAN – (for Amsterdam Museum

Vogelenzang in Foam see: http://www.foam.org/press/2012/en_foam

Probably the most fascinating part of the work of fashion designers Niels Klavers and Astrid van Engelen, is the special role given to the deliberate choice of material as the main ingredient of the design, which influences and shapes the garment (as they describe in the short video/interview Dutch Profile: Klavers Van Engelen). And what particularly fascinates me is the material referred to as the decisive factor of the final product and I will try to describe how the fabric becomes such a strong and inspirational object. The Designers` concept is based on this approach and it is evident that they want the fabric to get its own independent life when it is worn by the model. It moves and creates its peculiar visual  spectacle. That is why the designers Klavers and Engelen said that one cannot capture the whole of the design in a still picture as there is way more to see beyond the precise recorded instance of a shot. And there I can insist on the importance of those few minutes (ephemeral but also intensively documented) of the fashion show as the playground where the garments can perform. However, the shots are essential as they represent the source that the wide public can see. The selected audience that get the chance to attend the show, is thrilled by the wild appearance of the fabric while it is exposed in its most adventurous moment.

Soepboer & Stooker- A fashion brand, a collaboration between designer Berber Soepboer and Anne Stooker. It’s not only about fashion but also involves different media like installation, photography but mainly based on textile and clothing.

I went to the store for a little interview with Anne Stooker, she told me it was her dream to have her own concept store. She was born in 1984, she first did a foundation course in Fashion academy ARTENIS in Rotterdam, then she came to the Rietveld to continue her Bachelor programme of fashion. She met Berber Soepboer who was one grade higher than her during the study in the Rietveld . Here is some pieces from her in her graduation collection during 2006.

she describes, ‘in her designs, she gets concepts out of existing clothing to which she add subtle details by using a variety of fabrics with prints and her own designs.’

After graduation, as a freelance designer, she also participated styling for a Hip Hop band The Fringe and on September, 2009, she started the concept store with Berber Soepboer. What they are doing, she said, is a bit different than the other brands, they don’t design collections for every season, every piece they designed is connected to the rest of one big collection. It’s like if from one a trunk a lot of branches grow.

Berber Soepboer, finished her bachelor programme of fashion in 2007, she declares: “I design items of clothing that are characterized through the different ways in which they can be worn. The wearer can make choices in how he or she wants to wear the garment and is thus co-designer of the garment.  In this way I want to create a greater awareness of personal identity, sustainability is a recurring theme in this.” There’s some of her works which explains her concepts very well.

‘The dresses of the collection are extremely complex, with a series of wires that allow changing the shape of the dress.’

I remember this piece which hung on the wall in the store, one is not colored was put next to another one Which was colored, with pens next to it.

This few pieces below are some of the recent pieces in their big collection.

When I talked with Anne, she told me this piece is inspired by the city of Gorkum and the history behind. “Inspired by Countess Jacoba van Beieren a remarkable historical person from this region. Elements from her life such as traditional dress, Dutch ship trade and waterways are reflected in the designs. Present and Past + Identity and Perception were visualized in designs in which shapes and prints of the past get a new form and function in the present. This has resulted in garments which can be worn in different ways where there is an interaction between the individual pieces by means of encounters and connections.

The designs for the two silk scarves find their origin in folds; for storing clothes in cupboards and chests, it was necessary to fold in the old days. The folds are visible on the print but the actual scarf isn’t folded, also the VOC painting is folded and then printed.”  - Berber Soepboer

Emmeline de Mooij’s • Mixed Media

Emmeline de Mooij (Delft, 1978), currently lives and works in New York and Amsterdam and has a very detailed collection of works. She works a lot with settings in photography and from what we see she often centers herself like an actor in her own works. From 1997 to 2002 she studied Fashion Design at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. If you see her work, you can see that she’s not your ordinary fashion alumni because her works are a combination of a lot of disciplines containing, but not limited to: sculptures, installations, photography, graphic design, video and performance art. I guess it’s safe to say her work is Mixed Media galore.

Where some alumni remain somewhat more linked to fashion, or at least to fashion within the ‘logical’ borders of fashion, I notice that there is an interesting thing that happens a lot during and after studying at the Rietveld. Something that I see less at other art schools seems to be more apparent there. The tendency to not-choose just one direction, but have a strong drive towards multi-disciplinary ways of creating their form of art. This is something that I not only see in the work of Emmeline de Mooij, but also in the work of other alumni like Felix & Mumford (Fashion, Installation, Graphic Design and more -),  Soepboer & Stooker (Fashion, Graphic Design and more -) and for example the way Thera Hillenaar doesn’t just make clothes for wearing, but also adds a focus on it’s interactive function.

The following images are taken from the solo exhibition ‘Strip it down baby, give me those bare necessities’ at the Steinsland/Berliner gallery in Stockholm.
What I have mentioned in the above, becomes clearly visible in these photographic images.

‘Strip it down baby, give me those bare necessities’

image copyright - Emmeline de Mooij

In the above work she spent weeks in European forests with her colleague Melanie Bonajo and together they researched and visualized how the modern man compares itself to the outdoors nature.

“By wearing masks, I attempted to free myself from my ego and access a collective unconsciousness. It is a reaction to the Western urban human being, wallowing in a nostalgic concept of nature, convinced of being able to reach a certain pure natural state within the safe context of taking a course in “primal dancing” or “collaborating” with dead ancestors.”

[welikeart.nl/]

I feel that from what I am learning now at the Rietveld, it is very important to try and focus on this collective unconsciousness, or somewhat try to approach and question the way you are thinking, and the way you approach a problem that you come across on your way to making a piece of art. This and the multidisciplinary approach to her works give me the feeling of a strong connection to the Rietveld.

(more…)

At the Fashion&FOAM exhibition in the Vijzelstraat, the work of Emmeline de Mooij was a real eye catcher. Not because of its colors, not because of its size, not because of its position, but because it was ‘different’. In an exhibition on fashion design, she chose not to show clothing or fashion photography, but to present a canvas with a picture of a jumping naked woman and collected sand, called ‘Gravity and Domestic Dust’. A very (strange?) personal approach to what fashion design is? How does she describe herself, and what –as an ex-Rietveld student- is her connection to the Rietveld after 10 years of graduation? As a reaction on her visual work, I chose a personal formal approach by sending her a letter full of loose questions, written on pictures of the Rietveld building and on photographs of her own work. What I got back was not a complete story, not a letter either, but a bunch of answers giving a slight insight in the relation between this versatile artist and ‘our’ Rietveld.
 

How do you describe what you do?
Emmeline de Mooij (born in Delft, The Netherlands, 1978) investigates in her installations, photo’s and performances, the human being looking for something to hold on, confronted with the sight of a dizzying big universe. Comfort and a therapeutic effect is often found in surrounding oneself with as much objects as possible.
In her work she creates artifacts and remnants of fictional societies and scenes from apocalyptic scenario’s, removing the contradictions between the everyday and the improbable. Materials such as clothing, utensils, plastic, clay and Styrofoam, she molds together into images referring to science-fiction, archeological finds and pseudo-scientific theories.
The complex, with objects surrounded modern life and the nostalgic desire for simplicity, she captures in an ironic way. Where concepts of freedom and panic are inextricably linked to each other.

You+Rietveld: Happy marriage?
Yeah, quite a happy marriage! Although I wouldn’t describe the Rietveld at that time as a top level institute. I thrived well in the general focus at the Rietveld at giving the students a lot of freedom and responsibility, but I also think that there were a lot of not really good teachers. Teaching on a bad level, not up to date with developments within the international art world, or just not dedicated enough (absent all the time, sick, burn-out etc). I had the feeling some of those teachers where teaching there since ages, having this contract, so they were save for the next 10 years, they were friendly to the director and that seemed enough to keep their job.

In what way did you(r work) change during your Rietveld studies?
I guess, due to the fact the Rietveld being quite an international community, the same counts for Amsterdam where I moved to for my studies, my horizon was broadened. And I felt I could finally fully express myself, surrounded by like minded people, quite different from the provincial town I grew up.

What is your relationship to other (ex-)Rietveld students?
I have some friends that went to the Rietveld as well, maybe 30% of my friends? But I’m not one of those that keep hanging out with only Rietveld people, there’s quite a big community in Amsterdam that is like that.

Does it matter that they are from the Rietveld as well?
See answer above.

Do you think that someone can say that your work is “typically Rietveld -based”?
To be honest, I hope not. I hope my work is not too strongly part of just one particular tradition.
Although sometimes I have the feeling, especially compared to artists with a background in American art education, people who studied at the Rietveld have quite an elaborate/intuitive way of working, which feels to me more natural. So I wouldn’t mind if people would connect me to the Rietveld in that sense.
I can’t ignore though that my work can be typical Dutch sometimes.
Especially in photography I think there is a certain approach that a lot of Dutch artists unites, “improvised” looking still lives for example, or snap shot like photo’s with strong flash light, the use of humor in the work. And many times I think Dutch art isn’t very political, again especially compared to artists with a background in American art education (for me this is a strong reference just because I recently lived/studied in the States for 1,5 years), artists here are not extremely engaged or making political statements.

Why did you go to NYC after your studies?
Because I got offered a scholarship for the Photo Global Residency Program

When did you start making these (canvas)works? Do you consider them as fashion design?
I started making them in New York in 2010. I wouldn’t consider them as fashion design.

Do you manage to draw the school-floorplan by memory?
No.

What did you learn most in school?
Working from my intuition.

Did the school change in your eyes?
Don’t know.

Would you change something?
If there are still these teachers that aren’t dedicated and not good at teaching, I would throw them out and really try to upscale the general level. There are enough great artists and theorists living in or close to Amsterdam who could teach at the Rietveld.

Did you ever think about quitting the Rietveld?
No.

When where you there for the last time?
I think 2008, for the graduation show.

Do you feel linked to the school today?
Not so much, although coincidentally two weeks ago or so I ended up at a lecture from the Italian thinker Bifo and I heard he was going to speak at the Rietveld Studium Generale the next day. So I checked the Rietveld website and some lectures looked interesting, but I had to finish some works for a show so I couldn’t go. But maybe definitely next time.

‘‘Today, you can expect it to be windy throughout the day, a few showers between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. After that, it’s expected to be mostly cloudy. It’ll get a little warmer in the afternoon, around 10 degrees Celsius. The overall chance of rain is 45 percent. Tomorrow, showers in the morning and high temperatures around the 9 in the south up to 12 degrees in the north-east. The rest of….’

(more…)

Kevin Power welcomed me in his studio, in a building that used to be a school. We sat down with a cup of coffee and I was soon to realize it was his birthday by a numerous of very nice birthday calls.

We talked about his career after he in 1999 graduated the fashion department at Rietveld, for example how difficult it can be to works as diverse as he does (paintings, collages, sculptures, illustrations, installations, costumes etc.) in a commercial context where they need a more clear style. That’s why he got two websites commercial oriented and one more diverse.

Kevin Power has worked as freelancer, made costumes and set designs for Klank Kleur Festival and from 2004-2010 he was hired by Tommy Hilfiger:” to inspire, everything from creating various interactive art projects to making props for stores and showrooms”.

The Atelier

The work space is a storage for previous works that partly will become future works. After being cannibalized to bits and pieces they are recreated and reused containing both the history of its previous function and new dimensions for the present context.

Works are gathered and hidden in corners, paintings put in an untouchable distance and space is cleared to give a fresh start and room to begin a new project, new thoughts and challenges.

(more…)

Viviane Sassen photographs people. But she doesn’t consider her photographs as portraits. Her models are more composition than persons. They are never photographed in close-up: it is always a total or semi total scene in which they figure. She almost uses her models as sculptures. Bodies always have a very sculptural aspect. She underlines that with very contrasted pictures. The faces of Sassen’s character’s are often no more than suggestions. They are surfaces and contours, black holes that contrast sharply with the bright, colorful surroundings. She uses a technique that could be called “the revered Clair-obscur”. While Rembrandt and Caravaggio used the light of a candle or their characters to emerge from dark decors, Sassen drapes a veil across the face. A tree, the edge of a roof, bystanders of whom only the legs are visible – they suggest eyes, mouth and nose with the echo of their presence.

Sassen makes 3 kinds of photographs: recumbent figures, lying with their head turned away from the viewer; intertwined bodies; and “Mystified portrait”: individuals who cannot be identified as such, who avert the camera’s gaze, who have a plant or a shadow of a plant where you expect a smile or a frown.

Between the age of 2 and 5 Sassen lived in a village in Kenya. It was a world of skinned goats’ head on market stalls, morning dew on the red earth, and sweet soft drinks in glass bottles and the smell of burnt charcoal. Her father worked in a hospital, and she herself played with the young patients from the polio clinic next door to their house. For a child of that age, who has not yet made the distinction between I and the other, the identification is complete.

She left Africa quite young and only came back there with a camera in 2001. During this in-between period, she flirted with the profession of fashion designer and became acquainted with photography. She sucked up the work of Araki, Nan Goldin, Thomas Ruff, Andres Serrano and Wolfgang Tillmans. Besides her autonomous work, she worked on assignment for progressive fashion labels like Miu Miu, Viktor & Rolf, Diesel, So, Adidas and Stella McCartney.

It is tempting to give an autobiographical interpretation to the images of her African’s work. But that would be too easy, opening the doors to accusations of navel-gazing and narcissism. “I’m attempting to recreate the images of my youth”, she says. But because of a lack of precisely determined locations these images have a universal charge, transcending personal ups and downs. And there’s a particular, political meaning behind them.

(more…)

“They seemed to fill with air, ALMOST like they were made out of paper.” Morta Griskeviciute

all4114all

121-58

Supplies the spark that

ignites the air/fuel mi

xture so that com

bustion can

occur.

The

spark

must

happen

at

just

the

right

moment

for the w

hole to work properly.

A hand tool consisting of a handle with a head of metal or other heavy rigid material that is attached at a right angle, used for striking or pounding.

40-62

Regulates, directs and

controls the flow of a

fluid by opening, closi

ng, or partially obstru

cting various passage

ways. The intake and

exhaust open at the pr

oper time to let in air

and fuel and to let out

exhaust. Both are clo

sed during compress

ion and combustion

so it is sealed.

A small open container, usually with a flat bottom and a handle, used for drinking.

33-93

Pushed by the

pressure of the

expanding

combustion

gases,

its

motion

converts

into

round

motion

within

4390

for the

purposes

of the

whole.

A thin toothed strip, as of plastic, used to smooth, arrange, or fasten the hair.

43-90

The space in which 33

-93 travels. Arranged

accordingly in a bank

typically cast from alu

minum or cast iron be

fore receiving precision

work. It may be sleeved

or sleeveless.

A printed or written literary work.

Conversation with niels –

In the fashion industry the topic of sustainability and eco-friendliness has not been on the top of the priority list one might say. Trends change every season, and to stay in style you are expected to renew your wardrobe at least twice per year. High-end designers are now launching even more than two collections a year, you have the so-called pre-fall and resort collections as well as the biannual summer and winter. Chain stores are introducing new collections as often as every six weeks. At the same time as this is happening, fashion is getting cheaper and cheaper.  The high-street brands keep pushing prices lower by producing their clothes in countries that are known for using child labor and having extremely poor working conditions. The materials used are usually of very bad quality, which is probably also produced in an unethical way. So with facts like these you don’t have to be the sharpest tool in the shed to see that this is not a very sustainable approach

(more…)

Manual: How to dress YOUR man?

The number one fashion book!

After the success of many magazine publications for “Dolce and Gabbana” the author Mario Vivanco was invited to write a new guide continuing on his previous works. The “UOMINI” is Italian word for a manly, plural. The book “UOMINI” has became a guide for the men fashion from the beginning to the end. It’s a manual showing the way from the childhood to the grown age. It’s like a road going through the jungle, makes you going further and further, climbing through the forest of the fashion, finding the way not to get lost in this dangerous and wild world of models, TV- shows and coming stars.
The “UOMINI” can become your manual to be yourself. Step by step you will find the answers and finally the answer on only one and very important question: how to dress your man?
If you were wondering what boxers can compromise your wish to see the sexy bottom of your boyfriend and his love for comfortable going to the knees shorts? If you don’t want to be shy when you invite your men to meet your friends? Or nice family evening to introduce him to your parents?

This book is for YOU!!!!

How to choose the right outfit for every situation in your life?!
Witch colour of the tie will match the suit?
And even the right style of the socks!

All these answers you can find inside!!!

Don’t wait till someone will take the place of your man at work. Just because his boss thinks that someone is more representable! Or your friend will show of her new boyfriend just because he is more fashionable!

Open this book today and tomorrow you will have the world next to your man’s feet!!!!
And he will give this world to YOU!!!!

this post is part of he subjective library project "Unopened Book"
the book can be found at the Rietveld library : catalog no : 908.2-dol-1

As children we were told fairy tales when adults wanted us to stop crying. Stories of kidnapping, the black death and drug use sometimes disguised in jolly rhymes, melodies and childish fantasies. They have taught us not to look in the room meant to be kept shut, in other words; be obedient otherwise face terrible/fantastical consequences.

Not always, this kind tales –sometimes happy– about far away lands, keep us amused in a world so “understood” and “real”.
Walter van Beirendonck uses this element in many of his clothing articles. Connecting both worlds of childish imagination and colors with the really real world of grown-ups.

And it can really get

real.

It looks like van Beirendonck is busy writing his own fairy tales with every show. Each representing a different space and feeling.
He has even created a character to better express himself with.

 A quote;

“MISSION OF MONTH: AS THE SNAPPIEST DORKIAN KNOWN, CHOSEN ALIEN OF THE W.& L.T.HOOD AND EARTHLING-MAGNET – PUK PUK’S MISSION IS TO TRANSEND THE W.& L.T. AUTUMN VIBES TO THE EARTH ALIENS.

 KWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWKWK

HI HI HI FASHION-FRIENDS. PUK PUK WANTS TO TAKE YOU FOR A RIDE ON THE BIG WHEEL THIS MONTH AND FROM THE TOP TAKE A SNEAKY LOOK AT WHAT W.& L.T. HQ IS PUTTING IN ALL L(OVE)-RATED STORES FOR THE CHILLY MONTHS COMING. IT IS A CANDY-CUCKOO RANGE THAT WILL SING OUT TO ALL W.& L.T. FANS AND WAKE-UP ALL THOSE NON-W’S TO SEE WHAT A SEXY FUN TIME THEY CAN HAVE BEING A W.& L.T.ING.

 ALTHOUGH I AM SMOOTH, BLUE AND HAIRFREE, WAY BACK WE DORKIANS WERE HAIRY ALL OVER. TODAY I FEEL LIKE TEDDY-VELVET AND IN ORDER THAT ALL FANS OF W.& L.T. CAN EXPERIENCE THE PLEASURE OF THE TOUCH OF PUK PUK THEY HAVE RELEASED SOME VERY SPECIAL SWEAT-TOPS IN TEDDY MATERIAL. SOME COME IN A HARLEQUIN CHEQUE AND SOME COME WITH OLYMPIC MEDALS AND ALL ARE PURRY SOFT!

 W.& L.T. THEN ENTERS THE FREAK-SHOW TENT FULL OF MAGICAL PEOPLE WHOSE CRAZY EXISTENCE IS NOT LIKE MANY OTHERS ON EARTH. INSPIRATION COMES FLOODING FROM THE HAIRY PEOPLE AND CELEBRATED WITH T-SHIRTS AND DENIM WITH A HAIRY PRINT ALL OVER. THE LOOK IS WILD, TRASHY AND LETHAL AND SURE TO GET THOSE HUMAN APE-GENES OH OH OHING. THOSE NICE PEOPLE EVEN PROVIDE RAZORS SO YOU CAN GET CREATIVE AND GO ELVIS.

 AND THEN BACK ON THE BIG WHEEL AGAIN, SPINNING INTO AUTUMN WINTER, IS THE TASTE OF SAUSAGES AND BIG RED LOLLIPOPS FROM THE FAIRGROUND. W.& L.T. RE-CREATES THE PLEASURE GARDEN WITH LOLLIPOP T-SHIRTS (LICK ME!) AND HOUSE OF HORRORS BAGS AND TOPS WITH ILLUMINOUS IMAGES OF SKULLS. HOLD ON TIGHT THE RIDE IS JUST BEGINNING!

 PUK PUK MUST GO NOW BUT PROMISES TO BRING YOU MORE NEWS FROM W.& L.T. NEXT MONTH. REMEMBER IF YOU SEE ME FLYING ABOVE YOU IN MY STELLAR CADILLAC REMEMBER TO GIVE ME THE HORN!

 KKKWWW PUK PUK

That’s an actual quote from Walter’s website; http://www.walt.de.
The Character is Puk Puk, who comes from planet Dork. Tells it how it is and is inspired by the people of Papua New Guinea.
They even kinda look like Puk Puk if you squint your eyes a bit.

What I also like about van Beirendonck besides his difficult name, is that he seems to live in his own world. As do many of us. Actually, we all live in our own little imagination, it’s only our relation to others that makes it seem and feel so shared. Perception in our civilized society is very important.

If you were at a party with 30 people, chances are 7 might be schizophrenic. Today we don’t get burned at the stake or get shock treatments and lobotomies
(our memories of them nothing more than Ramones lyrics and Jeffrey Dahmer victims). You do however get shunned from being “normal”.
Bah, who the fuck wants to be normal anyway?
Furthermore who’s to say what normal is?
(If we’re talking about mathematical norms, then sure a norm is the recurring number, but the idea that this recurring number is the best,
what’s that about?)
Some cultures modify their bodies as a form of beauty, while other cultures frighten themselves with stories of malformed humans who are either savages or uncivilized.

O brave new world that has such people in it.

“I am a storyteller and it is my way of thinking and presenting in a total way.”

(more…)

– Look at me, don’t look at me.

This was a description given by Patti Smith, when being asked about her style in an interview. The sentence caught my attention because of its simple descriptiveness of the rebel attitude. But this text is not about the musician and poet Patti Smith, but about the clothes she often wears. Made by her close and old friend Ann Demeulemeester, whose work I’ve tried to approached.

Ann Demeulemeester and Patty Smith. Two successful stories, still going on.
It seams they function like each others muses and fuel each other with creative energy. They have collaborated in some of Ann’s collections. She seems like the perfect model for Demeulemeesters design. She expresses individuality and androgynity and that is two important themes in Demeulemeesters work.

Ann Demeulemeester
B.1951 in Belgium
Lives in Antwerp (in Belgium’s only le Corbusier house [x])
Attended the Royal academy of fine arts, Belgium 1978-1981
One member of the notable fashion group “The Antwerp 6″ [x]
Set up her fashion house in -87.
In 2009 her business generated sales of about 40 million dollars.
Only wears her own design.

Consistency

Long term friendship, long stabile career and a loyal crowd who follows her.
Going through the history of her collections, from 1987-2011, You see that she has a single solid vision. Her outspoken critical approach to trends, hype and celebrity dressing is probably a reason to her popularity. She explains the success to old-fashioned hard work. Inspired by her father.

The Crow, Edward Scissorhands, leather, latex, horse hair and feathers…
My First impression was from the collection of 2011.

I wouldn’t wear it.

Fashion for older women. Women Interested in art, who use to be punks in the 80′s. All black… Lacing, high booths, leather gloves, fetish, goth, pale, thin models.
In interviews she says she hates to be labelled as gothic.
I like dark, but more sober. I could do without the leather laces…

Atmosphere

Former industries, now galleries-area in Berlin.
I walked through a open door. Surprised to find a clothing store there [x], and even more surprised that they represented Ann Demeulemeester.
They didn’t greet me, three busy quiet guys dressed in black. everything was black. I was a non-potential buyer, and felt a bit uncomfortable spending too much time in there. I wanted to take a picture but wasn’t allowed. Couldn’t understand why, didn’t ask why. The place felt like a secret club rather then a public place.

Second store visit in Amsterdam, at Van Ravenstein [x]. (This time with my own photographer). White clean facade. classy, neat store. A bit nervous to feel like the non-potential-buyer again. The store was not very big but had three assistants; one young and two elderly women. I look around I order to recognize something from Demeulemeester, but it seems that this store was selling a more “simple” selection out of the collection. One of the assistants showed me, and I picked out some things that felt the most characteristic.
Another costumer was giving me a quick but evaluating look, from head to toes.
With carefulness I tried on a black shirt with white birds claws-print, and a thin, black cardigan with an unusual cutting. I read the clothes with my pre-impressions of a mood composed by websites, music, models, etc. but anyhow, I got cheesy heavy metal associations from the shirt… The cardigan was OK. Comfortable, and I like that it had a hood. It was hanging down in a nice way. I felt some eyes in my neck and one of the assistants asked me if it’s a good size. I gave the answer, yes yes it’s good, even though it was a bit too small.

I asked the assistant if she could describe the design from Demeulemeester. She was thinking for a while, and the answered with a very low and soft voice: androgynous… rocky… simple… women. She couldn’t say who the customers were. Demeulemeester herself says her clients is not fashion victims, but individualists that chooses what he or she wants.

…austerity…dark…cold…wind…serious…quietness…concentration…horses…

First of all, I already studied fashion design during a year. I know it’s not long period, but I have my own preference about fashion design which is simple. But As you know, Walter Van Beirendonck’s work is not simple is more like an overstatement to me. Honestly, When I first looked around his exhibition in ‘MOMU’, It did not really impress me. Just another ‘Fashion’ show room. Moreover, I really felt a headache. There were various colored clothes, even it’s figure. But after exhibition I realized it’s not the same compared to any other showing room. That is more detailed. This means it’s not just for ‘Looking-Good’, but also his philosophy. It is a completely unique perception of beauty to me. It is not only shape, His view-point and spectacular fashion, socially critical themes touched his designs. (HIV, Alien, Exteriority, Exotic Culture, mass consumerism, Warfare of World, et c.)

 He combines this with his fascination for technology, high-tech materials, multimedia and experimentation with sharp, critical statements. He usually tests the limits of beauty, giving his own interpretation of concepts that society imposes on us. And how he works today’s important themes into his collections and presentations.

Actions/Reactions sector in 'MOMU'

In his collections, I researched about ‘Actions / Reactions’.

He incorporates themes such as AIDS, the burqa (Muslims female cloth) debate, mass consumption, ecology and capitalism. He likes to compare the way he does this with the richly imaginative way that people in West Africa deal with tragic events, such as death, by burying their dead in coffins sculpted in the shape of an automobile, and onion or other fantastic forms. Actually even I had no knowledge about this.

This collection has focus on controversial issues and social statements. I think that is very important because of fashion; clothes is a good way to implement and give a message. Through a very basic behavior, wearing clothes. So, I think, Fashion has to be more mass influenced. Like a symbol. In this regard, I found that he tried to communicate face to face. In my view it is like a demonstration without sound.

Mr.Greedy

I think he is the most socially engaging in the collection Stop Terrorizing Our World. (S.T.O.W.) In my view, As can be seen in the picture, they represent the protagonist, who are important in our contemporary world. The Exterminator, for example, with all the diseases around the world, such as AIDS, overpopulation, fevers, and so on. Mr. Greedy stood for America and the fast food industry. However horrible or difficult the issue, his message is always a fundamentally positive one, with a powerful belief in progress and change.

After being inpired by him,

I destroyed and reconstructed clothes.

5 years ago, I read Che’s biography. I still remember his words; “Soyez réalistes, demandez l’impossible!” – Be realistic, demand the impossible!

 I know, Walter didn’t demand to solve an impossible problem. Its a hard one to solve, even if everybody knows these problems. In my view, Walter will be more affective than che ever was. Even if he were still alive! I will really expect his forward move. He is a mastermind to me.

He was inspired by 'Heidi' animation.

Additional, I found some reference example that interested me.

In ‘KILLER / ASTRAL?TRAVEL / 4D-Hi-D’ printed with a picture of Heidi and a goat with green ‘devil’s eyes’ and the slogan ‘Fatal attraction’ in flock print (referring to HIV) leather dogs collar, shorts (‘feed up’) in imitation leather socks printed with dolls motifs, leather shoes, nylon masks with the inscription Terror Time.

American president Ronald Reagan with Confetti

In ‘STOP TERRORIZING OUR WORLD’ suit in cotton with embroidered slogans in Japanese and Arabic letters (referring to the ecological problems at the north and south poles and in the amazon), loose hood trimmed with imitation fur, shirt in cotton embroidered with slogans, leather shoes. kind of like the environment movement. And “Mr. Greedy bomber” jacket in wool with embroidered motifs such as American president Ronald Reagan in a clown costume on a rocket, woolen trousers with ‘stars & stripes’ motif, loose hood edged with imitation fur and embroidered Ronald McDonald figure and dollar signs, knitted jumper in wool, T-shirt in man-made fiber, make-up; confetti.

'A Clockwork Orange' by Stanley Kubrick

I want to call it “Questions / Answers” Also his work will be an answer about nowadays’ topics. I think he expects, after I saw/wore his artwork, to change our thought and behavior. It is like a silent revolution.

Finally, during investigations I found an inspiring ‘AnOther‘ article about him.

some more interesting articles/links are:

Expo Walter van Beirendock@MoMu on Belmodo.tv
Mode Museum's "Dream the World Awake" on MoMu.be
Flanders Fashion Institute blog
Walter van Beirendonck's own Vimeo channel
and the MoMu exhibition booklet

In my research project I went looking for something that really struck me while analyzing Vivienne Westwood’s latest collections and labels. She started her collections living in a punk era filled ideals, fighting against the mainstream society, this was very obvious in her early work. Though, looking at her collections from this era I see a soft version of the work she used to make, seen in the style, color and fabric she used. In my opinion punk now has a small role in the influence of making her later collections. I feel that the edge is off and that it has smoothed out over time. I still think her work is really fantastic, but that is not what matters right now. I know she still follows several ideals like using Eco-materials with print on t-shirts that refer to how people treat nature.

But why did she change her image and became softer as she was. An image changes over the years, but is this a new way of rebellion by expressing herself in a softer way? Why doesn’t it come across as a rebellion to me, can we make a statement in a fancy wardrobe? After studying her collections I thought to myself that I might have became a custom to the fashion of today and versatility of showing itself.

After doing some research I came upon a project called the Worlds End Shop:
The World’s End Collection is a range put together personally by Vivienne Westwood in which she has selected her favorite pieces from the archive as an antidote to the transient nature of trends. There are styles worthy of repeating over and over again and through the World’s End Collection Vivienne is able to offer her loyal and new fans alike pieces which are her favorites and which they can purchase even after the season is over.
Created with wastefulness in mind, the collection makes use of leftover fabrics and off cuts from previous seasons to minimize the squandering of the earth’s resources. As such, quantities are produced based on what length of fabric is left. Garments are therefore produced in limited runs and some are unique. Fabrics combined in one garment are carefully chosen by Vivienne to complement each other and are used until they run out. This makes each piece a limited edition.
After I had read the concept of the Worlds Ends Collection I saw that we not always need to rebel in a way as was done in the punk-era. We can change our approach to maybe attrackt a bigger audience. By using smaller details while still getting the message across.
WORLD\’S END SHOP

Still remember that day I popped in the WALTER VAN BEIRENDONCK
DREAM THE WORLD AWAKE exhibition. It was a hardcore CHILDREN’ PARADISE more than an exhibition. What is beauty? Why do you judge or accept beauty? …. I had tons of questions. We are used to people wear correct clothes. Although this old-fashioned point of view is fading, we subconsciously judge beauty with classical aesthetic standard.

From what I learned, the “Alterations” mind as redesign some interesting elements which had already been designed in good shapes and reasons. Every work can be seen clearly done by his order, like being interested in colors, prints, proportions and sizes are all taken to their extremes. There is a scene popped in my mind – The growing trees were ruined and given new lives which had colorful and plastic leaves, but smelt like blood! Walter van Beirendonck is the gardener.

I can see he transformed objects, occurrences and scenes into quirky and eye-catching images. With an imaginative spirit, he is too brave too simple, he can melt people immediately. By breaking the normal Human Figure, Beirendonck shows metaphors and symbols. What he wanted to share with people is imperfect beauty, exaggerated imagination in real. He acted like a child absorbing the exotic basically culture, choosing the detail he was partial to, and just keep doing it to amuse us.

He made some ladies’ wear in “Alterations”, but he struck me as being inexhaustible inspiration in menswear. Compared those made by nature menswear, the women’s clothing seemed a bit mediocre and limited, but I really enjoy it. I found out a common “hobby” that he enjoyed dramatizing A detail. Here is one of the women’s clothing made me burst into a laugh. Picture!

You can say there is a mini planet on the top of the head, or animals in forest, a volcanic eruption…Beirendonck also said in the interview, in the world, there is tension in the silhouette as well.

And unconsciously, I have already followed his trick dividing the human body in two parts. I was so curious to find out some clues about this huge headset.

Hui’an women!!

As one of the keywords from “Alterations”, Hui’an is a seaside county on the coast of Fujian province, China. Hui’an Women are best known for their unique clothing, which contains the essence of the central plain and sea cultures. The overall style of the clothing was shaped in 1200 years ago, which stood out for its harmony colors, lines and patterns. It is a combination of traditional and modern elements.

The traditional clothes of Hui’an, a floral pattern kerchief, short jacket, silver waist belt and loose trousers is a joke. The short jackets they wear expose their bellies and waists, representing “democracy” or freedom and also save material for “thrift”. Their trousers bottom are wide, often 40 cm around, which has earned them the moniker of “waste”. The joke gained popularity in the 1950s, and is still used today.

The Hui’an women are tiny and light, with an upside down triangle hairstyle. They usually have floral pattern kerchiefs cover the hair, put plastic flowers as decoration. The way Hui’an women adorn their hair reflects the importance ancient women paid to the head jewelry.

Another obvious detail is butterflies. Ding! A mystery is discovered.

The color and silhouette of Hui’an garb comes from the national badge and the worship of totem. Butterfly is the object that Hui’an people adored very much. They believed the colorful butterflies symbolized brilliance and wore accessories with butterfly shapes, and they always keep bilateral symmetry. This cultural trait emphasized racial group relationship. The culture might be not that interesting for people they are not living in. The interesting point is you can look through the development process and understand why this outcome. I think this is the reasonable visual angle from designers to be inspired.

Living in this affluent society, we have some boring “easy fashion” and Walter van Beirendonck, two extreme fashion style and spirit. I feel like protect rare animals and cherish illusions. From this trip been into  Beirendonck’s beautiful world, I can breathe deeply and free. Try hard and sometimes out of order  can build up a own “factory”.

Punk subculture emerged in mid 1970′s in the north eastern United States. Later it formed in United Kingdom and Australia. Firstly, it was a lot about music and expressing ideologies through it. Punk related ideologies are mostly concerned with individual freedom and anti- establishment views like not selling out, anti- authoritarianism, DIY ethic (do it yourself), nonconformity. Politic views include anarchism, nihilism, socialism, anti- militarism, anti- capitalism, anti- racism, anti- sexism, anti- nationalism, anti- homophobia, environmentalism, vegetarianism, veganism and animal rights. To sum up, it is evident that it is basically being against mainstream, boredom, general rules and some bad effects in our society.

Therefore, punks were trying to draw attention in many ways: using music, attitude, DIY, zines , design and fashion. (Some interviews with zinesters – The Paper Trail Interview Series) The easiest and most visible way to express yourself and show your individuality in thinking is using your appearance. In this case Punk is not difficult to recognize. (at least it was in in early 80′s). Punk seeks to outrage others with highly theatrical, anti-materialistic use of clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, tattoos, jewelry and body modification. Today everyone knows what Punk fashion is, but in 1970 it didn’t exist so, it is quite interesting how things like that are being formed.
Look at this film Death Is Their Destiny (1978) by amateur filmmaker Phil Munnoch, aka ‘Captain Zip

Punk youth took old clothing and deconstructed them into new forms, destroyed fabrics, made new outfits to attract attention. They often torn fabrics, frayed the edges made prints which are now normal,but in the 1970s it shocked many people. Safety pins and chains held bits of fabric together. Neck chains were made from padlocks and chain and even razor blades were seed as pendants. They often even did not wash their clothing until it was impossible to wear them.

Furthermore, Punk hair. They spiked it as high as possible into a Mohican hairstyle by a variety of means including sugar and water solutions, soaping gelatin, pva glue, hair sprays, hair gel, egg whites. Often colored in intensive colors like green, blue, red, pink… It intended to attract attention and shock people. They were shaving areas of the scalp. Both sexes did this. They also,tend to have body piercings in at that time not common places.

I was thinking how I could relate myself with Punk. I remember when I was a young teenager I used to listen to some of the Punk music and wear punkish clothing together with face piercing which I even did myself. Moreover, I was vegetarian and I had been trying to get deeper into some ideologies, but I just stopped at a time and of course, now I’m not like that although, I feel that some ideas stayed with me. It was just trying to find out who I am. When I think about this now, it seems quite silly, but fun. I could claim that many teenagers now or before tried to be a ‘Punk’ even though they don’t really get what it was all about. For them it is more about appearance which I consider a normal thing.
Accordingly, I’ve decided to try how it feels to wear a Punk ‘Mohawk’ hairstyle which today entered mainstream fashion, but still for me is quite extreme. However, the Mohawk tribe never actually wore the Mohawk hairstyle traditionally.The association with the so-called “Mohawk” hairstyle and the Mohawk tribe came from Hollywood and more specifically from the 1936 movie, “Drums Along The Mohawk”. So, I decided not to shave the sides of my scalp, but only to try to do my hair up with egg as I found this recipe while doing my research.

First, I combed my hair and when decided to put on some hair wax. Secondly, I beat two eggs and applied them to the hair. Later, I put my head on the cardboard and formed the style. I used some strong hair fixing spray and the hair dryer. So, I lied on that cardboard for quite a while waiting for everything to dry. Unfortunately, when I decided to stand up ,I felt that my crest is falling down. I did not even get a chance to do the same procedure with the other side of my head. The most exciting thing is that you can see how the hair changes you although, it could be more fun if I had used some colors also. So, in conclusion, my experiment wasn’t very successful, but now I know how difficult it is to make such thing and what kind of strong products you have to use which are definitely not good for your hair and for the environment?!

In my opinion, Punk clothing and hairstyles really make you feel more powerful, rebel and free. Although, I think you can easily hide yourself in it and loose a bit of individuality if you seek the same style of clothing, same details and same set ideologies. It might sometimes confront with the inner person. Of course, some other slightly different Punk directions emerged later with different ideas…

Something which was rare, different and strange later always becomes something acceptable, normal or even fashionable. Punk fashion was really commercialized and many well-established fashion designers like Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier have used Punk elements in their production. Although, Punk clothing was initially hand made it became mass produced. I see that it happens in every aspect of life. Therefore, Punk movement gave a lot to our society. It made many people broaden their minds, let some of them feel more independent which I think, created some good ideas and it had a good influence in developing our society and art while making an inspiring mess.

During the research of my subject there was one point where I got stuck.
I knew that I could read more about the designer, but never really understand what he is about. So I choose two ways of dealing with the subject.
One was the text and in the second one I tried a tailoring-procedure the designer is famous for called “deconstruction by myself”. I used the pictures of this second research to separate the text, so that they are naturally incorporated.

It seems almost unbelievable to start a career in the fashion-industry, to become famous and never get criticized for your work. Now written down it looks even more surreal. But at least one succeeded by achieving this: Maison Martin Margiela.

(more…)

Berlage’s secret

For the people that have a big interest in hanging clocks the reading about the Berlage clock could have been exiting, for all the other people it was three times nothing. People that are against the cut downs in art should turn their head and look the other way, because if you find out that someone that studies on a clock for a year and finally comes with nothing is probably not worth any grants.

It is wonderful that a museum gives a look inside their research department. The presentations on the Amsterdam School and the Gijs Bakker dress were interesting to listen to and even though both of the researches weren’t finished on the moment of presentation, both of the researchers could justify very well what they did. The presentation on the Berlage clock was about a failure, about a broken clock with no information to be found, about a lot of compromises with an not original and not working clock as the result. As a researcher there is a chance that you’re not much of a speaker but if you can’t prepare a presentation after a year maybe you should make the decision and keep it with only the presentation of the work itself.

[by Taro Lennaerts]

Influence of the collar!

The radical design duo Gijs Bakker and Emmy van Leersum, famous for there futuristic creations, had there most sensational show in 1967 at the stedelijkmuseum. Not much remained of there fitting mini dresses with large metal collars, only one set of collar and dress survived and is now in the Stedelijk Museum collection.

At the time Gijs and Emmy’s works were not always appreciated and even considered instruments of torture by critics. Now 40 years later this new mentality in jewellery design founded by Emmy and Gijs is part of dutch design history and till today of great influence in designers works all over.[x]

rubber and metal collar by Katja Hannula and Giulia Shah, February 2011

[by Giulia Shah]

bijoux et le minimalisme

Emmy van Leersum's and Gijs Bakker's designs can be summarized as futuristic (similar > Pierre Cardin, Andre Courrèges) and conceptually groundbreaking (the ''unisex clothing'' > similar > Jean Paul Gaultier, Claude Cahun.)
The comparance of Courrèges's and Cardin's ''Space Age'' collection (towards Bakker and van Leersum) is intriguing and i was fascinated by the experimental jewelry (extreme sizes, unwearable, minimalistic and the Avant Gardistic approach.)

conceptually it's very interesting for me [according to the idea > jewelry without it's historical ballast and just a pure essence] and the awareness of exhibiting their works in a stable conceptual way, the free spirit thinking and the idea that aesthetics are not ''the main essence'' but that a concept is nr. 1 comforted me and made me feel challenged in several ways.

Equal [according >conceptual influence]:

Jean Paul Gaultier has a very similar way of thinking [reappyling gender codes, equality between female and male etc] and the idea of creating a unisex-line is fascinating. The idea's [according to groups, minority's, majority's etc] do remind me of Deleuze and Guattari. There is a equality [according to my aesthetical approach] according to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey [Djinn Chair by Olivier Morgue], Wiliiam Klein's ''The Model Couple'' and the ballets of Hans van Manen.

All by all; this similar approach has nothing to do with ''being similar or comparable'', it just has to do with the moment and the things that seemed equal [could be through a feeling, a aesthetical view point, etc.]

[by Petros Orfanos]

Share Our Stories

”After three hours of listening to lectures about design and designobjects everybody was a bit bored. This was not because of the content, but about the way it was presented and the retorical skills of the speakers. But see it from a other point of view than only the level of entertainment. What is the importance of art/design research and making it available to the general public? In my opinion it’s a opportunity, that it is made accessible, for everyone that is interested or wants to participate in preserving/documenting history. Cause this is what we saw. Not a great story, but people asking for help to make a great story. If you think about this, there is still a lot we need to find out to complete it. After a certain amount of time information gets lost and also the possibilities of creating a clear picture about history. Today some of the stories might be boring or uninteresting. It even can stay that way, but when times goes by it can become relevant and important. It is not up to us to make that judgement, but for later generations still to come. For now we need to search, share and organize information. So everybody has the same opportunity, like us, to access our history in the best way possible.”

[by Herman Paskamp]

obsurbed by research

Quite interesting to see these curators completely absorbed by researching one subject. Information was given about the 1960′s fashion of Emmy van Leersum and Gijs Bakker, the Amsterdamse School and then there was some dribble about the restoration of an old clock. In the following text I will focus on the first of these subjects.

It was compelling to learn from Marjan Boot that styles of dressing that are now totally accepted (a woman wearing pants) or trite (a jumpsuit) were completely groundbreaking back when van Leersum and Bakker gave their (apparently legendary) fashion show. Little proof that the show ever even happened remains today, so the curator explained her challenge was to represent the fashion show’s relevance and atmosphere in an exhibition with what little information and material was left of it.

My problem with this is, it’s not really possible to translate the excitement of then into a gallery now. If you exhibit remains of a fashion show in a museum, you will always be hindered by the limited possibilities. No matter how much information and material you collect, it will still come down to some text on the wall, dressed up mannequins behind glass and maybe (how exciting!) some moving pictures and sound on a screen. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done, just that it will surely be disappointing experience to anyone expecting something as edgy and provocative as the original fashion show.

It will probably be a nice sunday afternoon for anyone who was young and hip and probably wealthy (and probably still is, rich bastards) and really with it and happening when it was still 1967. They will be reminded of the olden days and for them, but only for them, it will come alive again. Then they will go home again and read some Gerard Reve while smoking a pipe and listening to Vivaldi or whatever, after which they will go to bed and probably die in their sleep. God why don’t all these old people and curators just die already.

Unfortunately the tape Ms. Boot located with the music of the show was not yet in her possession so we did not get to listen to the pounding beats of early electronic music, which frankly excites me more than fashion.

[by Senne Hartland]

Liza on ‘over de jurk van Gijs Bakker’

It was in 1967 that a sensational show took place in the Stedelijk Museum. In this show futuristic creations of Gijs Bakker and Emmy van Leersum were presented, among music from Karlheinz Stockhausen. Only one dress remained, still I do think they have quite a elaborated idea about what the show must have been like. Marjan Boot, the conservator leading the research, put forward that she wanted to know (even) more about the show in order to find a way to present it in this time. I don’t actually know if she’ll ever know enough to get the right ‘feeling‘ back. I know this sounds vague, but since we’re not living in the sixties there’s no way we can present the work in the same way, or in another way but grasping the same ‘spirit’, as back then. Some things are just great because they happen at a certain place in a certain time, and we can’t bring them back. It’s a bit like childhood memories; we want to re-encounter them, but we will never succeed. Maybe this quality of time in relation to ‘memories’ is what make the ‘memory’ even more valuable.
So my advice is don’t try to hard to make people re-experience a faded memory. (I don’t want to say that you shouldn’t present it, but do it in a simple way, just pictures and the dress, and don’t be disappointed to hear that people didn’t ‘feel it’ )

[by Liza Prins]

De mens speelt zijn hele leven, elke dag, misschien wel elke minuut, een andere rol. Tegenover elk persoon verhoud je je anders. We leven met masker, kostuum en aangeleerde manieren. Zonder valt niet of nauwelijks te leven.

De ene dag ben je slecht, vijandig, dan weer lief en onschuldig of je voelt je als een zak aardappels.
Als ik me voel als een aardappelzak, zorg ik er voor dat de aardappelzak omhult is door een zwierige jurk en felle lippenstick. Uiterlijk is misleidend. De meeste zullen pas denken dat je een aardappelzak bent als je een jute doek omslaat en muf ruikt.

Mensen reageren op wat ze kennen.

Heb je een goude oorbel in dan ben je crimineel, homo of gabber. Cliche's zijn makkelijk.

Bij een slecht iemand denk ik meteen aan een kauwgom kauwende man met een leren jas en een snor. Dit plaatje zit vastgeroest in mijn hoofd.

[costume for Man with Bad Intentions]

Toen ik het operastuk: De overwinning over de zon, met decors van Kasimir Malevich zag, was ik gegrepen door de vervreemdende taal en beeldtaal. Abstract. Weinig aanknopingspunten, waarin je vastgeroeste denkbeelden zou kunnen terugvinden. Ander taalgebruik, andere tonatie van de stem, abstracte kostuums.
Het karakter, de slechte man, kreeg in dit stuk een hoekig pak aan. Zonder dat het aansloot op zijn lichaam. De vorm van het pak werd eerst gemaakt. Daarna kon de slechte man zich hiertoe verhouden en aanpassen. Zijn bewegingsvrijheid hing af van het pak. In het kostuum zijn geen cliché’s gebruikt. Ook niet in het pak van de vijand, de nieuwe mens , de dikke man enz.

Dit vind ik een welkome verrassing en zelfs een opluchting. Doordat bewegingen, taalgebruik en kleding onherkenbaar blijven, dwingt het je anders te kijken, te denken en te luisteren. Niet te snel te oordelen. Het stuk is een zoektocht naar herkenningspunten in een wereld die je vreemd is. In dit stuk maak je je eigen waarheid zonder het zien van cliche's of rookwolken.

BLESS DESIGN was founded in 1997 by Ines Kaag in Berlin, and Desiree Heiss in Paris.

In ’99 and ’04 they received the ANDAM fashion award.

They’re philosophy is creative freedom, they are busy with totally innovative fashion accessories through design to art.

The Bless creative expression takes the form through numbered editions, with a permanent research of timelessness. They’re way is to create without definite perimeter.

The two designers escape from any calibrated definition of fashion, “BLESS does not promote any style – BLESS fits every style!” they kept tight they’re initial concept and idea which was to combine creations between fashion, design, art and architecture.

The objects created by Bless result from the fascination of Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag for recycling, the diversion of the uses and the traditional techniques.

They’re accessories turn what was supposed to be regular and unquestionable into surprising.

Like, for example the shoe-socks, that is a socks boot like, with a sole under, or from the collaboration with Le Pliage®, the bag that can be folded inside it’s own circular leather handles and can be worn as a bracelet.

(more…)

Designblog made a new link; to DUTCH DFA (Dutch Design Fashion and Architecture) “video profiles”. Presented at the latest 2010 DDW (Dutch Design Week) these profiles are part of DFA’s 4 years program that aims to strengthen the international position of these design sectors. Do enjoy the short video’s. Check out also Premsela Institute the much more interesting Dutch Platform for Design and Fashion. Have a look at their program of lectures and exhibits and their “pioneers of Industrial Culture Podcast series“.

To celebrate the exhibit Misfit of Hella Jongerius at the Rotterdam Boymans van Beuningen Museum –which we visited with E-group last week– and the kick-off of DesignTheory’s latest focus “The Designer as Artist.….”, based on an article in the 2010 5th issue of Metropolis M

we present . . .